Devendra Kumar
Canada has decided to resume funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, also known as UNRWA, ending a temporary halt following allegations against some of its staff members in Gaza.
The agency provides essential services such as food, water, and shelter to Palestinians in Gaza, but had lost hundreds of millions of dollars in funding from 16 countries, including Canada, after Israel accused 12 of its employees of participating in the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, rejected these claims, stating that the agency provides Israel and the Palestinian Authority with a list of its staff members every year and has never been informed or received any evidence of the alleged links between UNRWA staff and militant groups.
Despite the rejection of these claims, Israel has continued to make allegations against UNRWA staff members, including a recent claim that 450 employees are members of militant groups in Gaza. In response, UNRWA accused Israel of detaining several of its staff members and using torture and ill-treatment to force them to give false confessions about the links between the agency and Hamas. This has sparked widespread criticism and outrage, particularly after reports emerged that Gaza’s health ministry is struggling to provide medical care to the thousands of injured and dying Palestinians, with a quarter of the population starving due to restricted access to the enclave.
According to Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA has fired the 12 employees who were allegedly involved in the October 7 attack, citing the seriousness of the allegations. However, Israel’s continued allegations against UNRWA staff members have led to further controversy and scrutiny of the agency’s hiring practices. In response, the European Union has announced it will provide 50 million euros to UNRWA after the agency agreed to allow EU-appointed experts to audit the way it screens staff to identify extremists.
Canada’s decision to resume funding to UNRWA was announced by Ahmed Hussen, the minister of international development, who stated that the country will continue to take allegations against UNRWA staff members seriously and remain engaged with the agency and the UN to pursue accountability and reforms. The move comes as the Gaza Strip continues to face a humanitarian crisis, with 80% of its population forced to flee their homes due to the ongoing conflict. With the ongoing challenges facing Palestinians in Gaza, Canada’s decision to resume funding to UNRWA is seen as an important step in providing much-needed aid and support to those affected by the crisis.